Grandpa's last words remain my inspiration
Backstory
This backstory references death, but the six words are in the Life section for the following reason:Sometime overnight on February 23, 1954, as he lay in bed in the small unfinished home he had been building, his body ravaged by the late stages of cancer, my grandfather had an "experience". Exactly what he experienced he left his heirs to try to understand with these words he scrawled upon bare drywall:
"Live the life, live the life, live the life.
If I never, never see you anymore.
Oh, happy day I fixed my choice on thee,
My savior and my God.
On the food that he is giving,
That on which we have been living.
And it's good enough for me."
My father later cut those words out of the bedside wall. A crude hunk of sheetrock, measuring about seven inches square, that became a priceless family treasure – and charge.
I continually ask: Why would a man, who presumably was aware he was dying, commit his final incarnate seconds to issue a celebratory encouragement to his loved ones to "live the life"? Indeed, for apparent emphasis, he wrote that "commandment" first. And he wrote it three times. His experience became his loved ones' epiphany.
My bachelor grandfather was alone when he died. Yet, I continue to wonder: Was he?
by Staraj in Six-Word Memoirs on Oct 09, 2012 | 
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Comments
Believe says,
Lovely. Great story.Staraj says,
Thank you, one and all.TheAngstyPoet says,
Wow. I have goosebumps. That's incredible. Not to mention wonderful that you have those last words.Staraj says,
I am endeavoring with how I live my life to make them "lasting" words.canadafreeze says,
Beautiful.Bevvie says,
hauntingly inspirationalWench says,
An incredible story and beautiful tribute. Interesting, that he repeated himself three times. Two months after Christmas and four before she died of breast cancer, my grandmother had a burst of manic energy and insisted we all come over for Christmas, since she had been too sick to celebrate in December. When we got to her house, she immediately pointed out a list of rules she had prepared for us and tacked to the wall - "1. Omi is in charge. 2. Omi is in charge. 3. Omi is in charge."Many aspects of her life inspired me, but those are the last words that I really remember from her - you have a precious gift in this almost joyful charge. I know you know that.
accidentaltourist says,
Fantastic story. I'm glad you shared it.Staraj says,
The power of threes? Makes me wonder if there is a cosmic "law" that urges or compels departing words or phrases be in sets of three. My e-mail signature quotes Steve Jobs' final words: "Oh wow. Oh wow. Oh wow." I'd love to know what he experienced -- without having to die to know it. :-) The closest we may be to glimpsing "behind the curtain" and obtaining this ultimate knowledge is through the accounts of those who have so-called near-death experiences. And of these, the most intriguing for me are those which have occurred to persons who have been blind from birth. Think about it. They have NO CONCEPT OF VISION. Yet, during the NDE, they float above their bodies, look down, and "see" for the very first time. Science has no explanation for this.The mystery of life remains . . . a mystery. And heck, if we did solve it, what would there be left to do?
JAD says,
Amazing! Beautiful and Inspiring.lovelylizard says,
What a wonderful and personal treasure you have shared with us. I was immediately brought to Steve Job's "Oh wow, oh wow, oh wow", when I read your grandfather's writing. There's something very comforting in both.Amapola says,
Beautiful - thank you so much for sharing. It's uplifting and one of the most gripping memoirs I've read here. I'm sure grandpa is grinning, wherever he is ;-)ba_miracle says,
Moving and that is a beautiful way to honor his words.Redx3 says,
So much love and so much awe. What a beautiful gift he left for you,and you have shared with us. Thank you.